Mausoleum construction



April 1, 1930. H. J. PERSON 1,752,572

MAUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l I I I www 5. l l 5 l I N l I I I I I l l I I I I I N I l I I I l I l I I l I I I I l l I I I attentati April l, 1930. H. J. PERSON MAUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 8, 1927 4 Sheets- Sheet avena'.

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H. J.' PERSON MAUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet April l, 1930. H. J. PERSON 1,752,572

MUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. 8, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 4 lrcomwa Patented YApr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY J'. PERSON, OF-LANSING, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR-TO HARRY J. PERSON & SON INCORPORATED, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION' 0F MICHIGAN MAUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION Application led December 8, 1927. Serial No. 238,492.i

This invention relates to an above-theground depository for human bodies, or a structure in the nature of what is commonly termed a mausoleum. An object of the invention is to provide an arrangement whereby the capacity of the structure may be readily increased from time to time to any desired extent and whereby the supporting walls of the entire structure are formed of separate and distinct units with each unit designed to receive and hold a human body. A further object is to give to such structure the appearance of a beautiful building by spacing apart these walls of vertical rows of units, to provide corridors extending from end to end of the structure and supporting upon these built-up walls a roof structure for such corridors with ornamental end structures or facades for covering and concealing the wall ends and providing for entrances to the corridors with doors or gates for these entrances. A further object is to provide an arrangement whereby the end structure or facade is so connected and positioned relative to the built-up walls, that the facade may be removed and units addedto the walls as desired, and to provide a structure for the purpose which is substantially indestructible and in which each unit forms a sealed moisture proof crypt or vault facing upon a corridor. It is also an object to provide an arrangement whereby the structure may be readily increased in width to any desired extent as well as any length, for the purpose of symmetry, additional walls comprising a plurality of superposed units being placed with the rear ends of the units spaced from the rear ends of the units of an adjacent wall or walls and with narrow passages between the rear faces ofV these adjacent walls, which passages are adapted for ventilation and inspection, vthe roof structure being extended over these passages and providing drain gutters. Further objects are to provide certain other new and useful fea-V tures in the construction and arrangement, all as* hereinafter more fully set forth.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is an outline of a structure embodying supporting walls formed of a plurality of units which are shown in cross sec tion, said structure being illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the structure;

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of one of the crypts or vaults forming one of the units of the supporting walls;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of an end portion of the structure taken on a central vertical plane of one of the corridors;

Fig. 5 is a front end elevation of the end structure or facade of the building;

' Fig. 6 is a detail showing a front end elevation of a plurality of units in place and with portions broken away and in section to more clearly disclose the construction;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a portion of Fig. 6, an-d Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of a member for holding the adjacent ends of facing strips for covering the joints between adjacent units.

In the building of a structure of this character, a foundation l of suitable construction is first laid and this foundation may be of any desired extent in area to take care of the needs of the structure as said structure is built up thereon, and this structure or building may at lirst comprise a single pair of opposed walls built up of the desired number of superposed units, each unit indicated as a whole by the numeral comprising a rectangular box-like structure formed of any suitable moisture resisting impervious material, preferably concrete or the like which may be moldcd into the desired form and hollow with an open end. This unit is preferably of a size to receive a single coflin containing a human body and after the body has been placed within the unit, said unit is sealed up air tight by placing in the open end of the unit, a closure 3 or slab adapted -to fit the end of the unit and preferably beveled outwardly alon its edges to receive a suitable packing mate/rml 4 to form an air tight joint..

The supporting walls of the structure are formed by placing these units 2 one upon another in vertical rows with the front ends of the units which are closed by the slabs 3, facing toward the front ends of a similar wall formed of similar units., which walls are spaced. apart to form a corridor 5 between these walls.

As the units are set in place one upon the other, they are preferably coveredwith an eX- terior coatingr of any suitable material which will render cach unit impervious to dampness and malte the same air tight. The walls of these units are of considerable thickness and may be reinforced if found desirable to addistnength thereto, thus givingito each unit a considerable weight', preferably runningr into thousandsof pounds so that the possibility of crackingr or crushing any unit is 20 precluded by the superposing ofi these units or duc to any settling of the foundation or movement ofthe earthssurface in caseiof an earthquakeor the like; All. of the supportin fr walls of the entire structure are thenefore built up of these `very heavypermanent units which are constructed of a material to withstand the ravages of time and the elements, and by spacing adjacent walls a` suitable distance apart, ar corridor` or corridors are formed providing access to the front ends of the several units Vwhich face upon these corridors. As these walls areiformed entirely of separate and distinct units which are separat-ely constructed and kept in stock ready for use, such units may be added to the walls of the stnucture from time to time to increase the capacity of the structure and therefore a structure of small capacity may be first erected and then added to as required, bysimply placing other vertical rows of units in place at the ends of the walls. Then the structure having but one corridor has been extended to the desired length, another or other walls may be added alongside the first n structure and upon the same foundation, thus increasing the width of the structure for the purpose of symmetry. The addition to the structure will comprise a pair of walls with a corridor between the front faces of those ,0 walls and preferably the rear face of the wall adjacent the original part of the structure will be spaced from the rear face of the adjacent wall: of that structure, providing anarow passage (i. The structure may therefore .5 he added to indefinitely, providing a series of` longitudinal supporting walls formed of verticalfrows-of superposed units with longitudinal. corridors between the pairs of walls 'ind-narrow. passages between the rear faces of adjacent walls.

When the/supporting walls have beenbuilt un tothe desired height, the uppermost unit placed thereon will have an upper wall 7 whichistagered infthickness from the front to the rear end of the unit. thus providing an inclined upper surface for each supporting" wall. A roof structure for the corridor 5 between adjacentA supporting' walls is formed by supporting` upon the upper units of these walls a concrete slab, or other suitable roof inemb er 8 witliits ends resting` within grooves or notches 9 formed in the front ends of the upper units 2 of the supportingn walls, and this roof or slab 8 is also formed with inclined upper surfaces corresponding to the incline of the upper surfaces of the upper units 2 so that the exterior surface of the roof portion ofthe structure will have a slight inclination in each direction laterally from thc longitudinal vertical central plane of the corridor to provide a pitch to the roof. A metal roof coveringr l0 is laid uponthis surface and this covering); is preferably formed of sheet bronze which is not affected by the elements and will provide a substantially indestructible roof for the structure. The outer or rear face of the supporting wall which forms one of the exposed sides of the structure, is preferably covered by an extension of the sheet nictal l0 downwardly from the roof over this outer face of the side wall, as indicated at ll, and for appearance sake. a comparatively thin ornamental side wall 'l2 may be provided. for the expoed side ofthe struct11 e.tliis wall being added to as the supporting' Walls are increased in lei r5 through the addition' of units 2.

Further, for appearance sake an ornainental front wall or facade i9 of any desired construction may be provided to cover and conceal the front ends ef the supportingr walls and to also closethe ends of the passages (i, such facestructure or facade beinfr griventthe desired ornamental appearance externally, by casting the saine in solid concrete sections or otherwise building it up to provide a very solid `permanent structure with doorways lelat theends of the several corridors 5 and oramental entrances and approaches to ther-rc doorways. This facade may, if found desirable, be formed of bronze to give perinanency and a very rich ornamental appearance. the bronze facade correspondingV to the bronx/.c cfa-'ruinar for the roof and enhancingr the `ajeneral richness in the appearance of the building. provided for the opposite end of the struc ture to also cover the endsof the supporting walls at that end of the building, but preferably one or both of these facades are so set and connected to the ends of the supporting' wall that they may be moved and permit ofplacing of additional vertical rows of units at the ends of the supportingr walls to increasethe capacity of the structure.

7Where a` second pair of supporting;` walls formed of separate units is placed iniparallclism with other pa.irs with the passages G therebetweemthe roof coveringr 10 is extended acrossthese `passages and is preferably de- A similar end structure or 'facade is' loa pressed along the passages, forming gutters 15 for carrying off the water draining from the adjacent roofs. The end structures or facades close the ends of the passages 6 and these passages may be provided with suitable Ventilating openings (not shown) to give ventilation, and these passages may be entered for the purpose of examining the adjacent walls to see that each unit forming these walls is in perfect condition.

rllhe several units or crypts 2 are preferably set in place in the supporting walls prior to the depositing of a human body therein and after such deposit the slabs 3 for closing their open ends are set in place and the end permanently sealed. After being so sealed, a sheet 16 of bronze or other suitable metal is applied over the corridor end of the unit or this plate may be applied to the slab prior to the slab being set in place, the plate being then secured to the slab by securing a name plate 1i' thereon with suitable anchor pins 18 passing through the plates and embedded in the slab. There the face plate 16 is applied after the slab is set in place, the anchors 18 may be embedded in the slab when the slab is molded with the outer ends of the anchors projecting therefrom and then when the plates 16 and 17 are applied nuts or heads 19 are applied to the outer ends of the anchors to hold the plates in place. To close the narrow cracks or crevices between the corridor ends of the several units or crypts, moldings 20 are applied thereover, these moldings being also preferably formed of bronze, and they are held in place at the four end corners of each crypt by means of an ornamental rosette or button 21 which engages over the ends of the four adjacent moldings, and this button is held in place by a bolt 22 passinoa t-hrough the center of the rosette and into any suitable anchoring means located within the crevices between the units.

rl'he side walls of each of the corridors 5 are thus given a very ornamental appearance and each crypt is provided with a permanent name plate which further adds to the decoration of the walls. The exterior of the structure may be given as an elaborate decorative appearance as desired by the construction and designing of the end structures or facades and by making the entire structure from noncorrosive permanent material such as concrete and bronze and forming the entire supporting walls of the building from units of very heavy solid construction, the structure is made practically indestructible, and by mal:- ing the several crypte water proof and then sealing the same, the structure becomes a resting place for the dead which is as permanent as the ancient tombs.

Having thus fully described my invention what l claim is 1. A structure including spaced apart walls formed entirely of separate hollow units for the reception of human bodies, said walls forming side walls extending from end to end of the structure and a corridor therebetween, the upper surface of said upper units being inclined laterally of each wall, a roof member covering said corridor and supported directly upon the upper units of said walls, and a facade structure adjacent to and supported independently of the ends of said walls formed by said hollow units and provided with an entrance to said corridor.

2. A structure including pairs of spaced apart longitudinally extending parallel walls with the adjacent walls of each pair spaced apart to form narrow passages between the pairs of walls, the spaces between the pairs of walls forming corridors extending throughout the length of the structure, all of said walls being formed entirely of separate superposed hollow units for the recep` tion of human bodies with an opening in the end of each unit opening into said corridors, the rear closed ends of the units forming the walls of said passages, a roof structure for each of said corridors and supported directly upon the two walls forming the corridor, and end facade structures adjacent the ends of said walls formed by said hollow units and supported independently of said walls to conceal the ends thereof and close the ends of said passages, said facade structure being provided with entrances for said corridors.

3. A structure as characterized in claim 2, and including in combination a metal face plate for the corridor end of each hollow unit to form a finish for the walls of said corridors.

4. A structure including a foundation, a plurality of spaced apart walls formed entirely of a plurality of separate hollow units for the reception of human bodies, said units bein@` set upon said foundation and arranged in said walls. one upon another throughout the entire height of the walls, said walls forming between them corridors and passages extending from end to end of said walls, the upper units of said walls being provided with upper sides inclined downwardly longitudinally of the units toward said passages, slabs supported at their edges directly upon the upper units of the walls and forming roofs for said corridors, gutters covering the passages and supported upon the walls forming said passages, side and end facade structures supported upon said foundation adjacent to and independently of said walls and covering the ends and a side thereof, said end facades forming closures for the ends of said passages and provided with entrances for said corridors.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

HARRY J PERSON. 

